psalms

My initial feeling of the Psalms is that I have never been a person thatparticularly enjoys poetry however, I do remember at school enjoying the metrical singing of the Psalms. There was a comforting rhythm of repeatedly singing or reading the Psalms, day after day, week after week, therefore to appreciate the images, language and emotions the Psalms can muster, they need to be read again and again, to enable the meaning of the words to enter our minds and our Spirit.

The Psalmist gives us ‘permission’ to express or vent emotions, so whether we are joyous or in despair, images are already available to us via the rich resource of the Psalms in the Old Testament.

The Psalms give us an understanding of the diverse range of subject matter related to our humanity; emotions, history , battles, relationships and creation. They help us understand the different pictures we have created about our mysterious God, for example Shepherd, Judge, Warrier, King, Guardian, Creator, Comforter Mother and Mistress. These images are not just limited to love or judgement but to the many aspects of God.

Jesus used them, in times of joy or trials, so we can assume Jesus approved of what was written, and in doing so ………..we truly touch on the spiritual dimension of Jesus.

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I am a minister for the United Reformed Church and I am interested in nurturing Spirituality and faith in individuals and congregations. I have lots of questions about Faith, Jesus and what is means to be a Christian in the 21st century.